Please note this is a region 2 DVD & will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play AMERICAN BEAUTY tells the story of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) a suburban father who snaps when he becomes disgusted with his stale repetitive existence Burnham lets us know in voice-over from the film&s opening that this is the day he dies (using the SUNSET BOULEVARD flashback approach) a technique that adds an inevitable tension to the proceedings & keeps the story moving forward at all times On a whim Lester quits his job & begins a regression into young adulthood lifting weights smoking pot doing nothing & discovering the overflowing sexuality of his 16-year-old daughter&s best friend Angela (Mena Suvari) His wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) has her own midlife crisis of sorts A real estate agent she experiences a youthful awakening when super-agent Buddy Kane (Peter Gallagher) seduces her repeatedly Meanwhile Jane (Thora Birch) the Burnhams& daughter is pursued by Ricky (Wes Bentley) the mysterious boy next door who carries a video camera around with him at all times When Ricky&s militaristic father Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper) discovers something potentially horrifying on one of his tapes & when Carolyn&s rage for Lester&s actions boils over the time bomb finally explodes